Roller skate



March 14, 1939. J BARBATO 2,150,814

ROLLER SKATE Filed March 8, 1938 Patented Mar. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to roller skates. The invention has for its object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a pair of roller skates or a single roller skate having the front wheels thereof so mounted as to permit a complete rotation of each wheel on a vertical axis to expedite the stroke of the skater with a reduction of wear on such wheels.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a roller skate which will permit fancy skating or figure skating by persons not particularly skilled and who would otherwise not be able to perform fanciful figures on skates. ii; A further object of the invention is to materially reduce wear on the wheels of the skates by preventing abnormal friction on the wheels, and in this connection it is well known that in ordinary skating, a forward momentum is obtained by striking out with each skate in an angular direction. The impact of the front wheels with the surface on which the skates are moving has a tendency to wear out the wheels. With the present invention, the front wheels will give or turn in the direction of movement of the skate and in that way will not be subject to abnorrna friction.

Further objects of the invention are to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a roller skate which is simple in its construction and arrangement, strong, durable, compact, thoroughly efficient for the purpose intended thereby, readily assembled, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture. Embodying the objects aforesaid and to others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a. fragmentary view in side elevation of a skate in accordance with this invention,

Figure 2 is an inverted View thereof, Figure 3 is a section on line 3--3, Figure 1, and 50 Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4, Figure 2.

With reference to the drawing, the skate shown is of known form with the exception of the mountings for the front wheels thereof. The parts of the skate other than the mountings for the front 55 wheels are generally indicated at 5. As is well known, roller skates include a lengthwise adjustable supporting member or carrier for the shoe of a skater and upon which is mounted the heel and sole of the shoe. It is also well known that roller skates include an ankle strap such as indicated at 6 and toe clamps such as indicated at I for detachably connecting the shoe of the skater to the supporting member or carrier. The supporting member or carrier, which is indicated at 8, includes a part 9 upon which is positioned the sole of the skaters shoe. This part 9 carries the front wheels of the skate. The supporting member or carrier 8 is formed of a rear slotted section H] which is adjustably connected to the said part 9 by the means indicated at H. The rear wheels of the skate are designated i2. The foregoing features are of known form and arrangement and will not be specifically described other than a further reference will be made to the part 9 to which the mountings, in accordance with this invention, for the front wheels are connected.

The front wheels of the skate are indicated at [3, l4 and'each of which has an independent mounting. The mountings for the front wheels l3, I4 are of like form and the description of one will apply to the other.

The part 9 is shown as being formed with a depending flange l6 coextensive with the edges of the sides and forward end thereof. Anchored to the lower face of part 9 and disposed lengthwise thereof in parallel spaced relation is a pair of metallic strips ll substantially of rectangular contour and arranged in proximity to the sides of the flange l6. Holdfast means I8, !9 are employed for anchoring each strip I! against the lower face of the part 9. The strips i1 function as reenforcements for portions of the length of the part 9.

Each mounting for each front wheel includes a vertically disposed pivot 20 having a flared head 2| which is countersunk in an opening 22 formed in the part 9. The pivot 20 extends down through an opening 23 formed in a strip H and is formed with a boss 24 which abuts the lower face of the strip I1. The pivot 22 extends down through an opening 25 formed in a centrally depressed portion 26 in the top of a cap member 21. The boss 24 is interposed between the depressed portion 26 of cap member 21 and the lower face of strip 11. The cap member 21 is of annular form and has arranged therein a circular disc 28 having its diameter less than the inner diameter of the cap member 2'! whereby the edge of disc 28 is spaced from the inner face of the annular body 29 of the cap member 21. The pivot 20 extends down through an axial opening formed in the disc 28. Arranged within the cap member 21, positioned between the disc 28 and body 29 of cap member 21, abutting the inner face of the top 3| of cap member 21 and'depending below the body portion 29 of cap mem ber 21, are upstanding bearing members 32 in I therform of circular discs. Each mounting for a front wheel includes an inverted yoke-shaped hanger 33 formed of a substantially circular head part 34 having an annular boss 35 on its inner face and an opening 36 surrounded in spaced relation by the boss 35. The pivot 20 depends from the disc 28, extends through the opening 35 and has its lower end upset as at 31. Mounted on the upset lower end 31 of the pivot 20 is a washer 38 which is interposed between said upset lower end 31 and the head part 34. The washer 38 is surrounded by and depends from the boss 35. The hanger 3 includes a pair of oppositely disposed side parts 39 of like form. Each side part 39 is formed of a vertically disposed lower portion 40 and an outwardly directed bow-shaped upper portion 4| which merges into the forward portion of the side parts of-an annular flange 42 which depends from the edge of the circular head part 34. Each side part 39 gradually decreases in width from its upper to its lower end and in proximity to its lower end is formed with an opening 43. The openings 43 in the side parts 39 align. The bow-shaped portions 4| of the side parts 39 in transverse section are substantially of V arcuate contour. Extending through the aligned openings 43 and connected to theside parts 39 is a shaft 44 carrying a pair of oppositely disposed, spaced confiners 45 which open inwardly and are of convexo-concave contour in diametric section. The confiners 45 are positioned against the inner faces of the portions 40 of theside parts 39 of the hanger 33.

Mounted on the shaft 44 and arranged between the confiners 45 is a tubular bushing 46 formed with an annular flange 41 at each end. Only one flange 41 is shown.

Mounted on and confined between the flanges 41' of the bushing 46, is a sleeve 48 provided with 'spaced races 49, only one of which is shown.

Mounted in the races 49 are bearing balls 50. P0- sitioned on the bearing balls 50, is a front wheel which revolves about the bearing balls 50.

What I claim is: V

1. In a roller skate, a lengthwise adjustable carrier formed of selectively adjustable rear and forward parts disposed in overlapping relation, said parts having coacting means for releasably securing them together when adjusted, a stationary rear hanger depending from and flxed' to the lower face of said rear'part, a pair of rear wheels revolubly supported from said rear hanger, a pair of spaced parallel vertical pivots fixed to, depending from and located on opposite sides of the longitudinal median of said front part, a pair of spaced horizontally sidewise aligned cap members including tops encompassing said pivots axially thereof, said tops having inner faces below said forward part, a pair of V spaced front hangers suspended from and revoluble about said pivots below said members and formed with upper faces, a pair of flatwise disposed discs encompassing said pivots axially thereof, said discs seated on said upper faces of said front hangers and extended within and spaced from said members, bearings positioned against the inner faces of the tops of said members and against the upper faces of said front hangers, said bearings interposed between said members and the edges of the discs and spacing said members from the front hangers, and a front wheel revolubly supported from each front hanger.

2. In a roller skate, a front structure therefor comprising the forward part of the carrier element of the skate, a pair of spaced parallel strips secured to the lower face of and located adjacent to opposite sides of the longitudinal median of said part, a pair of spaced parallel vertical pivots anchored to said part and strips and depending from the latter, a pair of spaced hangers having tops supported by and revoluble about said pivots, said hangers depending from said pivots, a wheel revolubly supported from each hanger, a pair of cap members being formed with sides and with tops encompassing the pivots axially thereof above said hangers, flatwise disposed discsencompassing said pivots axially thereof, seated'on the tops of the hangers and extending within and spaced from the sides'of said members, and bearing. elements interposed between the discs and the sides of said members, bearing against the tops of said members and hangers and acting to permanently space said members from the hangers.

3. In a roller skate, a front structure therefor comprising the forward part of the carrier element of the skate, a pair of spaced parallel strips secured to the lower face of and located adjacent to opposite sides of the longitudinal median of said part,.a pair of spaced parallel vertical piv-' ots anchored to said partand strips and depending from the latter, a pair of spaced hangers having tops supported by and revoluble aboutsaid pivots, said hangers depending from said pivots, a wheel revolubly supported from each hanger, a pair of cap members being formed with sides and with tops encompassing the pivots axially thereof above said hangers, flatwise disposed discs encompassing said pivots axially thereof, seated on the tops of the hangers and extending within and spaced from the sides of said members, bearing elements interposed between the discs and the sides of said members, bearing against the tops of said members and hangers and acting to'permanently space said members from the hangers, each of said pivots being formed with a flared countersunk head, a boss intermediate its ends and an upset lower end, said heads and bosses coacting to anchor the pivots to said forward part and strips, said bosses and upset lower ends ooacting to couple said members, discsand hangers to the pivots, and said members being formed in their tops with depressed portions bearing against said discs and into which extend said bosses.

JOSEPH BARBATO'. 

